A bank worker who stole over $1m from his "homophobic" employers embarked on his debt spiral during an emotional and financial crisis, a court has heard.
Jason Paul Gabriel was sentenced to eight years jail in Brisbane's District Court on stealing and fraud charges for a series of complex thefts that took place between January 2005 and April 2007.
But Judge Terry Martin set a parole eligibility date of August 2012 to reflect Gabriel's psychological problems and his motive of "avoiding low living" rather than "support(ing) high living".
The Welsh-born equipment leasing manager had been employed at Suncorp Metway since 1998 and claimed he enjoyed the work environment until the last two years, when he alleged he had been victimised for being gay.
It was at this time that Gabriel stole nine cheques with a value of just under $200,000 before embarking on a spiralling system of part-repayment while generating fraudulent leases that eventually cost his employer $601,534.
He then left Suncorp Metway for St George Bank, where in a two-week period he obtained two false leases valued at nearly half a million dollars.
After another system of part-repayments, the loss to St George Bank was $443,082 resulting in total haul of $1,044,617.
Gabriel's counsel Tony Glynn SC told the court his client had been involved in a lengthy legal dispute with a former partner over a property and had also been embroiled in a failed business.
Gabriel then began a relationship with another man and they set up a successful business, but both of those arrangements failed after the new partner discovered the frauds.
"As a direct result of the offending, his relationship has broken down and he will go to jail a bankrupt," Mr Glynn said.
Judge Martin said Gabriel's offending had been "persistent" and a "gross breach of trust".
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